The Lord is in the process of doing a refining work in my life and ministry by calling me to set some priorities and boundaries. He is asking me to choose the best over the better and allow Him to set the course rather than me continually scurrying about trying to do a million things and not doing any of them well.
As part of this process, He gave me a glimpse into the heart of Moses this morning in my visit with Him and His Word. Until today, I had thought of Moses as a great leader who let his pride get the best of him when he struck the rock rather than speaking to it in order to obtain water for the Israelites. This morning, however, the Lord showed me that pride was not as big a problem for Mr. Moses as was impatience and irritability. Oh, ouch, I sense my toes being stepped on!
Poor Moses had led those griping, moaning and complaining Israelites out of horrendous captivity and enslavement in Egypt and to the edge of the Promised Land in Numbers chapter 14. They had complained about everything from the food and water to the protection provided by the Lord.
“Whaaaaa, we were better off in Egypt because we were safe.” (Safe, they were slaves. Hello?)
“Whaaaa, we had food to eat that was free and good.” (Free, they worked their tails off as slaves for a little taste of food!!)
“Whaaaa, you brought us out in this desert so we would die.” (God’s glory went before them to guide them. Talk about a heavenly GPS!!)
Whaaaaa!!! Oh my goodness. Someone please call the Whaaa-mbulance for this bunch!! Poor Moses had likely heard enough complaining to last the rest of his life. I think when he struck the rock, rather than speaking to it as God had instructed, it was out of pure frustration and impatience with the Israelites.
In Numbers 14: 11-12, Moses is presented with the perfect opportunity to get revenge on the Israelites for all the trouble they had caused him and allow his pride to take over, but he restrains himself. The Israelites are refusing to enter the Promised Land, choosing to believe the reports of the 10 faithless spies, while ignoring the reports of Joshua and Caleb. God has had it with them. Listen in if you will:
“The Lord said to Moses, ‘How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.’”
How would you react? I fear that I would very quickly begin to justify why the Lord was right in offering to do what He had just threatened and promised. Oh, my pride would go into overdrive and I would encourage the Lord to ‘go right ahead and make me into a great and strong nation. I’m your girl!! I’ll make the best nation you ever saw.’
Pride. Disgusting pride.
Not Moses. You see, Moses knew then what Isaiah would pen hundreds of years later. Isaiah 26: 8 says,
“Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.” (emphasis mine)
Do I always, always, always seek to make the name of God known before making my own name known? Is God’s renown or fame more important to me than my own? What about you?
